The question was directed at newly acquired guard Jarrett Jack when Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien showed the type of reaction he expects from his defense next season.
"Could I just pre-empt that?"
O'Brien asked during an interview last week. "Jarrett plays both positions."
There you have it: Jarrett Jack isn't just a point guard. He's a combo guard.
"He's going to be competing at both (guard) positions,"
O'Brien said. "We don't want to pigeon-hole Jarrett into the point guard spot."
Jack, who has averaged 9.5 points and 2.5 assists in his first three years, was acquired in the draft-night deal with Portland that also brought Brandon Rush and Josh McRoberts to the Pacers for Jerryd Bayless and Ike Diogu.
Pacers president Larry Bird indicated shortly before last month's draft that he felt they had an opportunity to get not only one point guard, but two.
"(Point guard) was one of our weaknesses last year because of the injuries and being a little light at point guard,"
he said.
Adding Jack and T.J. Ford helped, Bird said.
"We're going to get two players that we think can help us. We were very fortunate to be able to pull off both deals. We feel that we're pretty stacked at the big position and at the point guard position, and we've got some wing players that can play."
Jack, 6-3, started all 79 games he played during the 2006-07 season with Portland. He started just 16 last season but averaged 27 minutes a game. He is expected to serve as Ford's backup, with Travis Diener sliding to No. 3 on the Pacers' depth chart.
"There's already been some talk or visions of me and T.J. playing in the backcourt together out there on the floor,"
Jack said. "I don't think that can do anything but help the pace that coach really wants to play at."
Jack, Ford and Diener complement one another because each brings a different dimension.
Ford, 6-0, has the quickness, Diener shoots the 3-pointer well and Jack is a solid defender.
"I think one of the main reasons I was brought here was to bring some toughness as far as on the defensive end,"
Jack said. "I think that's something I can definitely bring. With all of us, like coach said, we've got seven new guys. I'm just looking forward to us going together as a cohesive unit throughout the course of the season."
